Planters’ Troubles

Referring to the Islands operations of foreign-owned shipping lines, the secretary of Ruravai Plantations, Solomon Islands (Mr. L. W. Tulloh), in an article in Mel bourne “Argus” on May 24, says:— “Primary producers in Australia consider they have been hard hit, but at least they have sympathetic Governments to appeal to and receive assistance from. In the Pacific Islands, and I refer now more par ticularly to the Solomon group, planters have been ruined through the low price of copra. Wheat is low in price certainly, but fancy having to grow, gather, husk, cure, bag, and ship 2,500 coconuts in the form of copra for a return of £3/10/- or less, and under a Government Administra tion which evinces no practical sympathy in the form of reduced taxation or adminis trative expenses or financial assistance.

“To such struggling and brave-hearted pioneer settlers the advent of foreign competition has meant much. Quite apart from providing another channel by which to dispose of or sell copra, etc., a shipping service has been provided to Europe and the East. Then, too, such items as rice and sugar are available at much more favourable prices than from Australia. A 100lb. bag of considered better sugar costs less than 70lb. from Australia, free of duty.

Other goods are also procurable more favourably. This gives settlers an oppor tunity of saving on operative expenses, a help much needed.”